Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that João Cancelo could return to Barcelona during the upcoming winter transfer window.
Cancelo currently plays for Al-Hilal, but missed the first half of the season due to injury. He was subsequently dropped from coach Simone Inzaghi’s plans, leading the Saudi club to remove him from their foreign player roster in January.
The Portuguese international has already begun searching for a new club, and three clubs are reportedly interested in signing the 31-year-old.
According to Romano, Barcelona officials have been in contact with Cancelo’s agent to discuss signing the player and registering him in place of Andreas Christensen in the Blaugrana squad for the second half of the season.
Barcelona could take advantage of the fact that the Danish international will be out for at least four months, allowing them to register another player in his place, provided that his salary does not exceed 80% of Christensen’s, as per La Liga regulations.
Joan Laporta believes that signing Cancelo would be an ideal option, as it would allow Jules Koundé to return to central defense, and the Portuguese player would also provide cover on the left flank, given his ability to play as a left-back when needed.
However, the deal is not yet finalized for Barcelona, as Cancelo has two offers from Italy, specifically from Inter Milan and Juventus, and he is open to a return to Serie A.
Ultimately, the deciding factor in Cancelo’s future will be the player’s own wishes and reaching an agreement with Al-Hilal regarding the terms and value of the transfer, as his contract with the Saudi club runs until the summer of 2027.
